HackensackUMC is the Only Hospital in NJ, NY and New England to Achieve the 2014 Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ - 12 Consecutive Years

Hackensack University Medical Center announced that it has received the 2014 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™according to Healthgrades, theleading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. The distinction makes HackensackUMC one of the top five percent of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for its clinical performance for the 12thconsecutive year. No other hospital in New Jersey, New York or New England has achieved this feat.

“We are so proud of receiving this Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the twelfth year in a row,” said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of Hackensack University Health Network. “As a healthcare provider, there is no greater honor than being recognized for our clinical quality, and this award recognizes the efforts of our world-class team of physicians, nurses and staff members.”

From 2010 through 2012, Healthgrades Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence as a group had an overall 26.4 percent lower risk adjusted mortality rate across 19 procedures and conditions where in-hospital mortality was the clinical outcome, compared to all other hospitals. During this same period, if all other hospitals performed at the level of Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence across these 19 procedures and conditions, 156,036 lives could potentially have been saved.

“To be listed among the top five percent of hospitals speaks volumes about the high-quality care provided by our team,” said Ihor S. Sawczuk, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at HackensackUMC. “Consumers are taking a more active role in their health, and resources such as Healthgrades empower them to make informed choices.”

Variation in hospital performance exists locally as well as nationally. For example, of the 66 hospitalsevaluated located in theNew York, NY/Northern New Jersey metropolitan area for treatment of Heart Failure, risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates ranged from 1.2 percent on the low end to 9.7 percent on the high end, which is more than aeight-fold difference in mortality rates.

“Recipients of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence have demonstrated better than expected quality care. For patients undergoing treatment for select common conditions and procedures at these hospitals, this translates to a statistically significant lower likelihood of death or experiencing complications when compared to the rest of American hospitals,” said Evan Marks, EVP, Informatics and Strategy, Healthgrades.

The 260 recipients of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ stand out among the rest for overall clinical excellence across a broad spectrum of care. During the 2014 study period (2010-2012), these hospitals showed superior performance in clinical outcomes for patients in the Medicare population across at least 21 of 30 of the most common inpatient conditions and procedures —as measured by objective performance data (risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications). To learn more about how Healthgrades determines Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ recipients, please visit www.healthgrades.com/quality.

About Hackensack University Medical Center

HackensackUMC, a nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county’s first hospital, it is the flagship hospital of Hackensack University Health Network, one of the largest health networks in the state comprised of 1,140 beds, nearly 10,000 employees and 2,200 credentialed physicians.HackensackUMC was listed as the number one hospital in New Jersey and one of the top three New York metro area hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospital rankings for 2013-14. It also received 10 national rankings in: Cancer; Cardiology & Heart Surgery; Ear, Nose & Throat; Gastroenterology & GI Surgery; Geriatrics; Neurology & Neurosurgery; Orthopedics; Pulmonology; Urology; and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital ranked as one of the Top 50 Best Children’s Hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery in the 2013-14 Best Children’s Hospitals list. The children’s hospital is housed with the Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital in the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, which was designed with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center using the highest “green building” standards, and was included on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. HackensackUMC is among Healthgrades® America’s Best 100 Hospitals in five different areas – more than any other hospital in the state, is one of Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals™ for seven years in a row, and received the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ 12 years in a row. The medical center has also been named a Leapfrog Top Hospital, and received 22 Gold Seals of Approval™ by the Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence. HackensackUMC is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls, and remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events. To learn more, visit: www.HackensackUMC.org.

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